'Normal' snowfall on the way,

Still, even after experiencing one of the warmest Novembers in recorded history, northern Michigan remains on track for a colder than normal winter and near normal snowfall amounts.

At least that's the latest word from meteorologist Brian Hirsch of the National Weather Service office in Gaylord, and it comes as welcome news to those who depend financially on the winter weather to spur the tourism industry, bringing skiers, snowmobilers and other winter enthusiasts north to play in the snow.

Hirsch reported Tuesday that although the season's first snowfall was Oct. 26, when many believed Otsego County was in for an early winter, the rise in temperatures has made it virtually impossible for snow to stick to the ground.

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"What we really need is just some cold air to make it stick," said Hirsch. He said that when a person combines November temperatures with the extended forecast, which continues to reach into the mid- to upper-30s, it may well be mid-December before snow falls, and sticks.

According to Hirsch, the reason for the recent warm weather was a trough which was situated across the central portion of the country. "That's breaking down as we speak and moving some cooler air into our area," the meteorologist noted, suggesting the likelihood the breakdown will bring about more normal temperatures in the mid-30s. "We sure don't see a real cold snap on the horizon."

Perhaps there are not extremely cold temperatures in the immediate future, but Hirsch predicts the contrary for the remainder of the season. He said Otsego County has not experienced a really cold winter since the 1995-96 season, but that is likely to change when the thermometer drops later this winter.

In the long-range forecast, snowfall is in the normal range, Hirsch said, varying across Otsego County - 150-plus inches to the west, dropping off dramatically the farther one moves to the east.

And for those who look into the future, even with the delayed start to the snowy season, a late spring or summer is not necessarily inevitable. "The call is still for a normal spring and summer," concluded Hirsch.